£61m Conference Business For MCR In 2015

Good news for the regional economy

ACCORDING to a Marketing Manchester press release Manchester’s partnership approach has secured £61 million of conference business for 2015.

The city’s business tourism industry generates over £823 million a year for the city-region economy and attracts some 4.9m delegates

Working in collaboration with key academic, venue and hotel partners, Marketing Manchester claims to have directly influenced 40 national and international association conferences to choose Manchester in 2015. This equates to approximately 34,000 delegates and an estimated economic impact of £61 million.

Scientific meetings look set to play a significant role in 2015 – appropriate given that the city currently holds the title of ‘European City of Science’ in preparation for 2016’s EuroScience Open Forum.

Life sciences will be a particular focus, with a host of national healthcare conferences visiting Manchester between February and May. The Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, British Society for Rheumatology, and British Dental Association will together bring an estimated 5,000 delegates and an economic impact of approximately £8.7 million.

At an international level the first Manchester Surgical Week – which involves the amalgamation of meetings by the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA) and the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) – will bring over 2,500 medical professions to the city from April, generating up to £5.9 million for the local economy.

In June the emphasis will shift to advanced materials with the International Conference on Nanotechnology, Nanomaterials and Thin Films for Energy Applications (1-3 June) followed by the flagship Graphene Week 2015 (22-26 June). Together these meetings are expected to attract around 900 esteemed delegates and generate over £1 million in economic impact.

Manchester Central

Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism at Marketing Manchester said: “With 18 national and 22 international conferences secured, Manchester’s objective to target, and bid for, more association business through the ‘team Manchester’ partnership is proving very successful.

“The value of these conferences extends much further than simply the monetary value. Association meetings attract some of the world’s leading minds to come together to discuss particular subjects, helping Manchester to become known for intellect and knowledge whilst boosting our key sectors."

Moving away from the science theme, other highlights in the city’s 2015 conference calendar include two large international financial and professional services conferences from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association and the Association of Corporate Treasurers. Combined with the Royal Economic Society’s national conference approximately 3,700 delegates will add £5.2 million to the region.

Another key meeting will be the Society for Ecological Restoration’s 6th World Congress on Ecological Restoration; a five day meeting in August which will bring over 1,500 delegates to the city a deal estimated to be worth approximately £3.9 million for the local economy.

Overall, Manchester’s business tourism industry generates over £823 million a year for the city-region economy and attracts some 4.9m delegates to the city.

Shame then, as our other story published the same day reveals how the Visitor Information Centre is being closed, relocated and its staffing, scope and scale being reduced.